MOTIVATION: How I failed at quitting

If you haven’t guessed by my lack of social media presence, return to regular posting schedule (Mon, Wed, Fri, & sometimes the weekend), and nonexistent Youtube updates, I’ve returned to the corporate world. Yes, girl! I took a new job in October (more on that next week). However, back in March, I quit my ‘good government’ job after 10 years. I then took the summer off to create, explore, and build the world of FabGlance. It was mostly fun to be a professional blogger. I kept up the facade that things were POPPIN’ over here. But, I quickly, realized, “Whoa, this is harder than I thought.” and I had to go back to work.

I went back to the 9-to-5 grind, realizing that I had FAILED at quitting. Basically, I was the goal that others strive for: Quit your corporate job and work for yourself. I knew it would be hard to quit my job and go off on my own (No Al B. Sure), but it was much harder than I ever expected. Yeah, I accomplished some of the goals that were sitting on the back-burner for YEARS. However, I was not as EXCEPTIONAL as I SHOULD have been.

So, if you are thinking of quitting your corporate job to pursue your dreams, I have some advice to help you along the way. Don’t be a cautionary tale. I fired myself, so you don’t have to. Let me tell you how I failed at quitting, so you won’t do the same:

I wasn’t healthy – Make sure you are healthy enough – while emergencies can arise, there’s some precautionary check-ups you need to do to make sure the systems are go! Seriously, if I would have waited 6 more months, and took a couple more trips to the dentist, I wouldn’t have exhausted my savings account.

I didn’t save enough money – Save as MUCH as you can. I know, you’ve read all the stories of people starting with $14.75 and became the next Diddy. But . . . that’s like the 1% of the ‘Quit My Job’ population. The rest of us have to pay rent, wanna watch Netflix, and maybe buy an outfit. Yes, you’ll make sacrifices once you remove the safety net, but even those sacrifices will require sacrifices if you don’t have enough money saved.

I thought it would fall into place – Naw, it takes work! LOTS of work. The day after you quit your job is the most glorious day ever! You may sleep in, you may eat a big breakfast, and you may even go on a cute vacation. Oh but quickly, you’ll realize that this life is not as easy as it seems. You’ll work harder because it’s a different kind of work. Your business is your baby and baby needs a lot of attention! Also, If you are used to things working out in your favor, forget about it. What can happen, will happen – good and bad. And, now that you are FULLY involved in every intricacy of your business, you see all the details that your previous bosses may have taken care of. Makes you, almost, feel bad for your previous boss huh?

I worried myself to death – Don’t do that! – That was my ultimate demise. I worried so much that I almost forgot to work. I said I was praying about my situation . . . but I worried as much as I prayed. Some days I would sit on my couch, computer at my feet, wondering if the next blog post was the one that would open the finance door. I should of WORKED instead of worried. You’ll feel that anxiety coming on, it’s inevitable. But, I beg you, start working. Send that email, write that proposal, or edit that video. Go harder than you did before. Don’t let anxiety take you out.

I got mad at my friends when I should have been seeking more customers – Ok, this is tricky and it’s in no means indicative of having bad friends. My friends are amazing and so supportive. But, girl, your friends may not be the first ones to read your blog post, like your photo, or buy your product. That’s what followers are for! Your friends are your friends! Your followers are your pay check! Your friends are their for support, specifically emotional support. They KNOW YOU. And, if you feel yourself getting frustrated with your friends not ‘supporting’ you (the way you think), then you’re worried about the wrong thing. Put that energy into creating a better product and/or better content.

So, I hope these tips can help you transition into entrepreneurship. I’m not gonna say I won’t quit again, but the next time I’ll be MUCH more prepared. I loved the entrepreneur life, and you will too. But be prepared for peaks and valleys during your transition.